Iona Bain
You’re away from home for the first time with a slender student loan and spending temptations all around. What could possibly go wrong?
The average student burns through £3,304 of their annual student loan – more than half – within the first 100 days of starting university, and one in five uses up the loan entirely, leaving themselves with a lean year ahead.
The findings from HSBC show how easy it ca be to succumb to so-called “fresher pressure”, with students spending almost as much on wild nights out (£626) as on food (£670). While a quarter have no regrets, a third of students say that they could have budgeted better.
Here is our pick of the best free apps to help students to manage their money and still enjoy a pint (or three).
OnTrees
This app gives you a “360-degree view” of your money, according to its developers, allowing you to monitor what goes in and out of your account as well as what you have saved and budgeted. You can take pictures of your receipts and set notifications to remind you when you need to make payments.
Money Dashboard
This is another app that allows you to view your money in one place. You can group your spending into categories so that you can see exactly how much you’re shelling out (noe that you can’t use OnTrees or Money Dashboard to move money around).
Splittable
If you’re living in a shared house, get all your housemates to download this app and wave goodbye to passive-aggressive notes on the fridge. Splittable gives you a platform to specify who owes what and when, as well as notifying others when you have paid your share of the bills or bought anything communal for the house (it can’t be used to make payments).
Circle
Use this as a free way to pay friends, whether it’s your share of the bills or the drinks tab. In the worst-case scenario, your parents could use it to send you some cash quickly and safely.
UNiDAYS
Sign up for free membership to get access to exclusive student discounts, plus a steady stream of competitions and helpful advice.
